


Only the Ring Finger Knows

by st_r_trk_fangasm



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Adaptation, M/M, Rings, Starfleet Academy, if the whole gang attended the academy at the same time, only the ring finger knows
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-22
Packaged: 2019-10-29 11:41:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17807342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/st_r_trk_fangasm/pseuds/st_r_trk_fangasm
Summary: Attending Starfleet Academy, Spock discovers that the ring he has obtained has a cultural significance to his peers. It would seem that it is customary of cadets to wear matching rings with their romantic interests. His just so happens to match the one that James Kirk is wearing. While the student body finds him charming, his interactions with Spock seem arrogant and manipulative. The two alternatively clash and attract as they discover just what it is that’s growing between them.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This fanfiction is heavily based on a favourite manga of mine called "Only the Ring Finger Knows" by Hotaru Odagiri and Satoru Kannagi. I did my best to fit the scenario to Starfleet Academy. Please be kind.

James T. Kirk, a command track cadet with a growing reputation at Starfleet Academy for being headstrong and charismatic. Spock overheard a few statements concerning his person in the last few months. A ‘nerd’, as some would state, but also a ‘hottie’ to others. To clarify, it seemed that he was renown for his attractive appearance as well as his studious nature. What Spock found more interesting was that he was bound for an early captaincy; atypical per Starfleet's protocol. It is almost unheard of to become a Starship Captain before the age of 30. Experience had to be gained and earned. Despite what Spock thought of this rumor, his peers were more concerned with his latest romances. Many lamented them.

"I am ze most unlucky of them all!" the young man cried, accent thick and downing a third of glass of vodka. "Another beautiful woman in the throws of James Kirk!" Spock remained silent, watching cautiously as his peer intoxicated himself over his emotional qualms. It was an interesting behaviour that apparently many humans shared. His presence was also something that he'd been told was just as significant; the ‘friend’ to drink with while they vocalized their objections. Vulcans were not intoxicated by alcohol and the flavor was detestable, but he drank anyway to appease cadet Chekov. In small sips.

"He has only just arrived this semester and he is already surpassed my level!" Chekov continued, huffing like a child.

"He is dedicated and eager to attain his role on a starship-"

"So am I!" Chekov interrupted, looking affronted.

"Yes, you are eager, but are also an intellectual that enjoys deviating his attentions to sciences and engineering. While command track does cover these on a basic level, you deem it necessary to investigate further, delaying your advancement by taking extra classes rather than taking exams to complete the courses earlier."

"It is important to be prepared, no? And if I wanted to get on a starship faster, I could branch to navigation!" Spock already knew this and realized that Chekov was insecure about making decisions. This was something every captain should excel in. Even so, certainty one's actions came with experience over time, not racing into danger. He was still young.

"Ack! I can't believe him! Chasing the stars and dragging my beautiful Anna with him!" Spock frowned. He had never met Cadet Kirk in person, thus did not wish to think ill of him. Cadet Chekov was certainly exaggerating his plights.

"And I bought these matching rings for nothing…" the cadet huffed, looking down at his palm where two metal rings lay. They were of different widths, but matching designs. Spock barely kept the surprise from his face as he spoke.

"You wished to marry this woman?" Spock had only been on Earth for 18 months. While he knew enough from his mother, there were a considerable number of things that he found baffling. Bearing rings, especially a set or pair, represented a married couple for humans of many cultures. His mother had embraced Vulcan norms and had never worn one.

"What? Oh! No! Well… maybe… But it is not like that! It is just a thing…” Pavel struggled to explain. “Everyone here knows about this... I did not realize… no one has told you." Spock continued to stare at the rings, his gaze flickering down at his own hand. The ring he wore had no such significance. Wearing his accessory was merely his way of adapting to human culture.

Had he been doing something wrong by wearing this? He fretted internally before Pavel continued.

"We wear matching rings to show our relationship status. Right ring fingers show a close friendship, right middle finger if you are single, and left ring finger signifies a couple!" The man was obviously charmed by the idea. “It is a known habit of the school. I have heard that it is meant to help us feel grounded when we are destined for space.”

Spock nodded. His ring certainly made him feel more connected to this place. Although, it was a fair bit awkward to know that he had been unintentionally sending a message about his romantic interests to his peers. Many students wore rings at the academy. He had assumed it was a regular affair, a trend or a common accessory. It would seem that it was more significant than a fashion statement. Although less so than a marriage.

"You wear a ring,” Chekov pointed out. “It is the proper position for someone who is single and it is the same one for as long as I have known you. I bet the whole school thinks you are either single or have unrequited love…” Chekov grinned over his glass.

Spock made no remark. Surely the ‘entire school’ did not care for his affairs. If anyone had thought such things about him because of the ring he wore, he could only be content with the fact that they had noticed him participating in a human custom. Now he thought it might have been an error on his part. Suddenly the way he had obtained the ring seemed to make more sense.

The man’s head lolled to the side pensively. “Well I heard someone say you were probably engaged…" Chekov put the glass down gently on the table. "I admit to some confusion Mr. Spock. It is a Vulcan custom to be engaged early in your life, but I believe it is only a human tradition to wear rings as a symbol of marital status, no?"

Spock hesitated for a moment. He did not like discussing his personal life. Humans commonly enjoyed sharing their own life stories and Spock would listen avidly. He answered Pavel’s inquires carefully.

"This is true, and while I was raised in the Vulcan way, I have accepted that I will be surrounded by humans for the rest of my career. I accept your customs, but this ring was given to me quite… randomly." Spock thought back to that particular moment. "I was given this ring on a tour of the Enterprise. The cadet looked quite harried upon giving it to me and left rather quickly.”

Chekov leaned in with interest as Spock came up with a theory.

“It not unlikely that someone had rejected his proposition of romantic interest. Perhaps he had been turned away as you have been-" Spock snapped his mouth shut, realizing his error too late. Chekov gave a weak whine, deflating instantly. He took another swig of alcohol.

Spock looked down again at his ring while his companion downed a few gulps. He admitted that if he'd worn this on Vulcan, it would be viewed as perverse. No Vulcan wore jewelry on their hands unless it was for a ceremony. A material possession with emotional attachment, rubbing against his sensitive skin, only inches from his finger pads? He'd be a disgrace!

"You are not suffering of unrequited love as I am! My beautiful Anna! Spock, you have been spared this cruelty! Anna and I would be staring lovingly into each others eyes by now… Damn that James Kirk!" 

Spock just raised his brow at the man.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Spock sat diligently at his desk. It was his simplest class and yet he could not retain anything with the head-ache he woke up with that morning. He always recorded the notes for later review, but at the moment, he needed to physically take notes on his tablet in order to concentrate. Fractal Calculus was usually revisionary for him, but now it seemed that he could not keep up. He theorized that the little alcohol he had ingested with Pavel the night prior had something to do with it. Alcohol may not have inebriated him, but it certainly gave his vulcan physique the ailments thereafter. 

When the class concluded, the students began to move towards the door. Spock tapped in a few more notes on his pad, stalling himself from walking amongst the crowd. On days like this, it was much more difficult to deal with so many beings.

"Are you alright, Mr. Spock?" Cadet Chekov asked rather loudly. By the looks of it, the human had been drinking water last night.

"I am fine-"

"If you need to go to the infirmary, I will gladly accompany you!" He volunteered cheerfully. Spock stood slowly.

"No, I will recover shortly," Spock told him, walking with him to the exit.

"Okay, see you later!" He smiled, and to Spock’s relief, went on ahead. Pavel waved as he ran out into the hall, heading for the cafeteria with the energy of a playful sehlat pup. Spock turned towards the washrooms with much less enthusiasm. He needed a quiet space to recuperate before Biochemistry.

Once there, he was greeted with merciful silence. He breathed a calming breath and went to the sink. He set his bag down on the bench and unzipped his affronting red cadet jacket. He hung it on the hook by the mirror, pulled up the sleeves of his thermal black shirt and removed his ring. He proceeded to turning on the tap, the sound of running water filling the room. He pooled water into his hands and realized what ailed him so.

He was thirsty. He was dehydrated. Such a simple thing to remember.

Feeling foolish, he took out his empty bottle and filled it. He took a substantial mouthful, then set it aside. He put his hands under the tap again, leaned in and splashed his face. It was cold and smelled mildly chlorinated, but it was still soothing. He repeated this action again, the water on the surface of his skin already warm. It was refreshing and he felt his mind easing into a meditative state. He inhaled as his cupped hands filled with water and slowly exhaled as the water hit his face. He repeated this action again. Cup water, inhale, splash, exhale.

He splashed again, but a small gasp from a newcomer caught his attention. He'd splashed the red clad cadet beside him.

"Oh, forgive me," he said quickly, turning off the tap and rising to full height. His bangs were soaked and dripping water into his eyes. He rubbed some droplets away in time to see an offered hand towel. 

"It's alright. I barely got wet," the man assured gently. Surprised, Spock accepted it.

"Thank-you." He dabbed his face, smelling the clean terry cloth that had a lingering scent of cologne. He looked up to see a pair of striking hazel-green eyes and blond hair. The young man in cadet uniform smiled at him, gentle at first, then mischievously. Spock thought he might laugh.

"Your name is Spack, right?" he asked with a suspicious chuckle.

"Spock," he corrected, turning his gaze to the mirror to make sure his hair was not out of place. He could still see the man staring at him in the reflection as he flattened down his bangs and set his brows straight again. He was relieved to not be wearing his liner or it would have surely made a mess. His fatigue had interrupted his morning routine.

"Right, I've heard about you. First vulcan to attend Starfleet Academy," he stated.

While that fact was correct, Spock did not deem it necessary to concur aloud.

"I've never met a vulcan before. Do they date?" he chuckled now, leaning on the counter's edge, looking confidently at him in the mirror. 

"We are a race thousands of years older than humans," Spock responded, sensing that this cadet was teasing him, but to what end? The man laughed softly, his eyes glowing and warming his appearance.

"And funny too," he sighed, sounding defeated despite his words. Spock raised a brow and the cadet's lips broke into a warmer smile. "Adorable."

Spock frowned, showing his displeasure as clearly to the man as he'd allow.

"If you'll excuse me," Spock said, pulling down his sleeves. He packed his bottle into his bag, slinging it over one shoulder, then grabbing his jacket. The cadet stopped him from exiting, a hand on his upper arm, luckily covered by his black thermal. Spock looked the man dead in the eye and firmly took his arm back. The cadet put his hands up in surrender.

"Alright, I see. No sweet talk. No touching," the man shrugged, taking his towel back from the counter. Spock took a last step back to grab his ring from the sink. The cadet willfully did not move aside. Their cheeks almost touched as Spock got a hold of his ring. The man was hyper focused on him as he drew away. They stood there, stock still, evaluating one another.

Whoever this cadet was, Spock found it disquieting how captivating his eyes were. He found them intimidating. But why? Over-all, he was 5 centimeters shorter than himself, his human strength would be no match for his and his body language showed no sign of aggression. 

It wasn’t his form, Spock realized, but his mind. Spock could feel him. His intellect and will power. They were not in physical contact, but Spock could still sense it even subtly. 

Spock made a quick retreat. 

***

Spock sat through the lecture and tried to ignore the thoughts about his encounter with the blond cadet. His headache was dissipating, but he felt that nothing short of a healthy meal and proper rest would help him recover. He took sips of his water every five minutes and took his notes vigorously until the class was on a short break. 

He picked up the ring from his desk and stared down at it.

He hadn’t taken the time to put it back on until then. Retrieving it had disturbed him. The cadet reminded him of the vulcan children who flaunted their higher intellect. They would openly mock him, and yet, the cadet’s commentary held no malice. Was this how humans persecuted each other? 

This was not the time to think too much on the matter. He slipped his ring back on, intent on focusing on his class.

But the ring didn’t fit.

He looked at the hoop with some confusion. The width was clearly too small for his finger. Spock didn’t know what to think. The design was the same and it wasn’t dramatically different in size. Spock could not get it passed his knuckle. Perhaps his fingers had swollen? But no, his hands were chilled; far from swelling. Then… his ring had shrunk?

The teacher was making additional notes on the board, thus, Spock set aside the ring and continued to take them. 

When his peers returned, they took a moment to catch up with the notes while Spock was discreetly trying to fit the ring on any of his fingers. It was an odd situation, but he still wished to keep the ring. He slipped it onto his ring finger, but it was too loose. His left hand perhaps? He tried the left ring finger.

It fit.

He did not like the implications that Chekov had informed him of yesterday about this position, but perhaps it had its advantages. Any student would see it and think he was engaged or with someone, thus not approaching him in a romantic way. That had occurred twice since his arrival at Starfleet Academy. His tact in turning them down was lacking, but it had taken him by surprise that anyone would desire him as a romantic partner. Especially coming from a human.

Then again, it would not be the first time that others found him exotic. And despite Starfleet’s inclusion of other species, the majority of the student body were humans. Spock had known the numbers, and yet, this was what he had chosen. It was still better than the Vulcan Science Academy.

His focus returned to the class lecture as the instructions for a cold fusion device was being assigned.

He received the information to his pad, and rose with the class as they were dismissed. Eager to get started on this assignment, Spock pushed his agenda to start on it right away. Well, after taking care of his health. The ache in his head was still prominent.

The room was half emptied before he lifted his head and neared the exit.

"Mr. Spock," the blonde cadet said sharply from just a foot away. Spock stood straighter if only to have more distance between them without taking a step back. The young man did not have the same warmth in his eyes as earlier. He looked serious and assertive. His body language was different too, a distinct change from his lax posture leaning on the washroom counter.

"Yes?" Spock replied, aware of his peers staring in their direction. He didn't look at them.

"Hold out your hand," he ordered. Spock leered at him. Was this man about to play a prank on him? He raised his mental shields. He did not wish to be made a fool of, especially not in front of his peers who may or may not know of the sensitivity of his hands. Despite this, he obeyed the order. 

The cadet dropped a ring into his palm, not even grazing his skin.

"It's yours isn't it?" he asked. Spock looked at it carefully. It was silver with a gold center, just like his own."We must have switched it by the sink earlier. You took mine. A simple mistake, I understand," he said. 

Spock's lips parted. Surprised, but more so embarrassed that he had ridiculously thought that it had shrunk.

"You have the same ring as I," he confirmed, putting the ring beside the one he was wearing. Spock now noticed that the one he currently wore had a few more scratches and tarnish than his own. 

"You're wearing it on your left ring finger?" the cadet gaped, giving his hand a calculated stare. Spock removed the ring.

"It was the only finger that fit. I was otherwise preoccupied with class," Spock explained returning the ring to the cadet who only just managed to open him palm for it. The blond slipped it onto his right middle finger and gave a sad chuckle as he stared down at it.

"Ironically, your ring only fit my left ring finger, too." 

Spock blinked, acknowledging what their peers might conclude had they continued to wear their rings thusly. The cadet sighed and put his hands behind his back. "Wouldn't want to start a rumor now would we?" Spock sensed that the cadet wanted that comment to be teasing, but it fell flat.

"Indeed," Spock nodded once. He stood in silence until the cadet looked at him with that soft smile that warmed his demeanour.

"You must be fond of that ring to be wearing it. I've never heard of a vulcan wearing one," he said conversationally, but turning to leave. Spock opened his mouth to respond, but thought better of it as the cadet made his exit. He clamped his jaw shut and looked down at the ring in his hand. He slipped it back onto his right middle finger.

"Spock!" a young blond woman bounced over to him, her wide eyes batting. "Where did you get that ring?"

"Pardon?" 

"Oh yes, please tell us!" another added from his left. She was a short haired brunette with a freckled nose.

"Whatever for?" he looked between them and saw that a small group and formed around him, looking at him eagerly.

"It matches Jim's! I want the same one! You have to tell us!" another urged. Spock frowned at this childish nonsense.

"It was given to me without cause. I know neither the one who gave it to me, nor where they purchased it," he replied calmly. 

“Are you serious?” the brunette gasped. “How can you not know who gave it to you?”

“Yeah? Why would you wear it?”

“Sounds fishy to me,”

“Vulcans do not lie,” Spock assured them.

“I thought you might have gotten it on Vulcan,” one shy voice behind them said.

“No way! Vulcans don’t wear jewelry!”

“That’s kind of prejudice-” her friend began, but was cut off.

“So then you’re seeing a human!”

“I am not in a romantic relationship at this time-”

“Oh, so why wear it?”

“Yeah, just give it to me!”

“Sarah!” the girl gasped, smacking her friend’s arm.

“Please excuse me. I have an assignment to work on,” Spock stated, making a hasty escape. He heard the women squabbling between each other until he was well within the crowded hall. 

Much to Spock’s dismay, this was only the beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok I reviewed this one a lot and gave it some meat. I'm really love getting inside Spock's head being new to humans and trying to fit in! PS, I'm picturing them as TOS cast with AOS characters sprinkled in. Let me know how you guys are liking it so far!  
> Here's my twitter if you'd like to follow me there: https://twitter.com/strtrk_fangasm


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